Meat Beany Chili & Corn Muffins – VIDEO

Makes 12 muffins Chili Serves 6 to 8

I’m no Texas chili expert, but I am a culinary reality TV expert, and one thing that’s for sure is that if chefs on a cooking competition talk about Texas, they talk about chili. And if they talk about chili they have to state no less than 10 times that Texas chili has no beans in it. They’ll say it in slow-mo and with echo and dubbed over techno music. Texas chili has no beans. Did you hear that? NO BEANS! So this is my reverse homage to Texas chili. A mean pot of stew filled with all my favorite beans! It’s thick and stick-to-your ribs, and super duper meaty thanks to the cooked down lentils. Serve with Cornbread Muffins and guacamole.

Watch me make it and then I’ll watch you make it! Wait, no I won’t.

Notes

~You can make this on the stovetop instead of the slowcooker. Directions for both are below. Use 2 extra cups of water for the stovetop.

~If you don’t want to futz with two different kinds of whole beans, either kidney or black beans could go solo, too.

Directions

Saute the onion, green pepper and jalapeno in the oil with a big pinch of salt for 5 to 7 minutes, until onion is translucent.

Add the garlic, and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients, cover and set to slow cook for at least 8 hours. Lentils should be very tender.

Taste for salt and seasoning, and thin with a little water if necessary.

Stovetop directions…
Preheat a 4 quart pot over medium high heat.

Saute the onion, green pepper and jalapeno in the oil with a big pinch of salt for 5 to 7 minutes, until onion is translucent.

Add the garlic, and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chili powder (start with 3 tablespoons and go from there), oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, and cloves and toss to coat the onions, letting the spices toast a bit (about a minute or so).

Add the 4 cups water and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Add the lentils, cover the pot and turn the heat up to bring to a boil. Let boil for about 20 minutes, stirring every now and again. The lentils should still be firm, but almost tender enough to eat.

Add the crushed tomatoes, kidney beans and black beans. Cover the pot, and turn heat down to simmer. Let cook for about 30 more minutes, stirring occasionally. The lentils should be quite mushy, almost melting into the chili. You may also need to add more liquid depending on how much the chili has cooked down. Adding up to two cups more would not be unheard of.

Add lime and maple syrup, then taste for salt and seasoning. It tastes best if you let it sit for 10 minutes or so, but if you can’t wait then just dig in!

Measure out the milk and add the apple cider vinegar to it, then set aside to curdle.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center and add in the milk, oil and applesauce. Stir together the wet ingredients in the well. Then mix the wet and dry together just until the dry ingredients are moistened, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the corn kernels.

Fill each muffin tin most of the way with batter. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes. Tops should feel firm to the touch and a knife inserted through the center should come out clean.

Remove from oven and when cool enough to handle (usually 10 minutes or so), transfer muffins to a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.

131 comments to Meat Beany Chili & Corn Muffins – VIDEO

I’ve never understood the outraged culinary purists who say there should be no beans in chilli because really chilli without beans is really just a spicy meat sauce and what’s special about that. I posted an awesome black bean chilli recipe a while back, which is great but requires a very long ingredient list so I’ll give this one a try because it’s a relatively simple and the cooked down lentils will give the sauce a nice meatiness without resorting to TVP which is something I can’t quite come at.
Here’s a link to my vegetarian black bean if anyone’s interested, the moral being you just can’t have too many recipes for vegetarian chillihttp://thebackyardlemontree.com/2013/05/29/desperately-seeking-awesomeness-vegetarian-black-bean-chilli/

This looks delish!! I’m always looking to kick it up a notch, especially when it comes to meatless dishes. Having a strong family history with heart disease, I try to eat as much vegan as I can. I’ll be making real soon. Thanks so much for sharing it with the world! Cheers from Canada 🙂

Thank you so much for this recipe Isa. We have a chili cook off fundraiser coming up in November and per my request they finally introduced “Alternative Chili” category. Can’t wait to make this and show everyone how delicious meatless can be 🙂

I just love you, Isa. I share you every chance I get. Just today I was sharing you with a new vegan who was overwhelmed by the prospect (I’m an OLD vegetarian relatively newly vegan) and I could honestly tell her not to worry, everything was not only going to be ok, it was going to be fun and delicious and even a little irreverent. She’s not overwhelmed any more and she’s laughing.. (FYI we are a couple of old broads in our 60s.) Only problem is, now I want a Breville slow cooker (with sear function!) to go with my convection/toaster oven ;0)

Isa yr videos are amazing! And here I thought I couldn’t like you more than I already do.
Don’t have a slow cooker but love the idea of lentils in the chili. Gotta try this soon when it cools off a bit more.

Isa! I stepped away from the computer for a wee bit and when I return I find Isa’s gone video. Not to be weird, b-u-t…I think I’m in love! You are amazing and this meal is going into my slow cooker right now! Grazie, bella!

I just made this for dinner and even my “reluctant” omnivore husband loved it! My lentils were still “crunchy” though, even after 9+ hours, not sure if I did something wrong. This is the first time I have made chili, vegan or otherwise, that I finally said, “Yeah!”

Hi Isa,
I’m living in Germany and would love to make this dish; however, I#m not very secure with American recipes. So, when you write chili powder, do you mean powdered chili pepper (i.e. cayenne pepper?) or a blend of spices which besides chilis already includes oregano and cumin and is sold here as chili powder, chili mix, or chili flavor? Thank you for your help (and your lovely recipes)!
Cheers, Susann

I made these corn muffins tonight to go with some chli I had already made this weekend. I love them! They will now be my goto recipe. Instead of applesauce I used some leftover pumpking puree I had in the fridge and couldn’t tell the difference. I also topped the muffins before baking with a sliced jalpeno from a jar just for looks and a little heat YUM. What a hit. Thank you and I love your videos!!! When will I see your show on the food channel?!

You are so funny!! I recently discovered your blog after going vegan and it has become my bed time reading. I especially like your “About” page! I also live in NYC and adopted the cutest Maine Coon cat from Brooklyn :o)

Hi, Isa! Thanks so much for another great looking recipe. Planning on making your chili this weekend–can’t wait. Just wanted to be sure that the recipe for muffins is for the mini muffins tin? Or could I use the regular one and double? Thank you!

Leopard print paring knife! How did I not know such a thing existed before now??? I am a Breville girl without a doubt, they get my brand loyalty. 🙂
Sadly my slow cookers are both in excellent shape and don’t have a sear function, I’ll have to start on the stove top and move across to the slow cooker. This looks delicious.

I just got your book today. I put the chili in the slow cooker this morning and invited friends over. I made the Ranch Salad with Red Potatoes and Smoky Chickpeas to go with. Holy moly! My guests all raved about the soup and salad! I think the Ranch Salad is my favorite salad ever! It’s SO good! I had seconds of the salad and can’t wait for lunch tomorrow to eat more!
Isa – you rock! Your new book is stunning and I am looking forward to cooking my way through it. Rock on!

HEy, Isa! This is the first time I’ve seen your website, and I’m already excited to make many of the recipes! The first will be either this or the Red Lentil Thai Chili…(’tis the season for warmth, after all, here in MinneSNOWta, where I live…ugh!)
One question for you about the ingredients: you call for Mexican Oregano in the chili; is that different from the standard Oregano that is sold in most grocery stores?
Thanks in advance!

It doesn’t matter THAT much, but dried oregano is typically Mexican or Turkish and the flavors are slightly different. Sometimes you can get the herbs specifically labeled, but sometimes it just says “oregano.” And that’s fine, too!

Hi Isa! I am a Texas girl and I made this chili yesterday! It is Delicious!! After cooking in my slow cooker 8 hours the lentils were still not quite done. Cooked on stovetop a bit longer and it was all good!! Very yummalicious!! Thank you!

When I saw this video , in my kitchen I had lentil, black bean, pinto bean , tomato can and polenta. I cooked in the morning and now I ‘ve eaten it . . . A W E S O M E ! It will be added to my recipe.
Thank you everything and always. I will try your corn muffin soon.

I followed the recipe exactly as it was presented and the results were great. Mind you, it was better the day after which is the norm for chilis, soups, and stews. For those trying this for the first time, understand the potency of your spices. My cumin was overly strong, my oregano weak, my chili powder weak. I would consider this a “forgiving recipe” because I was able to easily correct the inconsistencies and once I did, the layers of flavor revealed themselves quite nicely. I recommend giving it a go if you haven’t already. This will be a winter staple in our household ! Thank You 😉

These recipes were great; the chili and corn bread were delicious. To add some kick ( and to use what was already in my fridge), I added 1/4 c Chipotle peppers in Adobe sauce and that made the flavor even better. Cant wait to buy your book! Keep it coming. Thanks Isa!

Made the chili & muffins for my dinner party last night and everyone was like “This is amazing can I have your recipe??” and I was like pshhhh lemme introduce you to the Queen of Veg!… and sent them all the link to your blog :-). I am way overdue to show you some comment love.. your recipes have been keepin’ it spicy in our household for a long time now! Everything you post is exploding with flavor and I love it! I am SO excited to see you speak in Philly in Dec!! Anddd your videos are great your dance moves are rockin’. Thanks for being awesome!

This was sooooooo great! I’m trying to help my mom see that plant-based food is actually REALLY delicious and she was scraping the bottom of her bowl when I made this! And she ate three mini muffins! Thank you!

I made this for my in-laws this weekend (who are not vegetarian) and my husband and I, who are. It got rave reviews! Everyone loved it, and it was perfect for a cold fall evening.
Thanks for making such great recipes that always turn out, even the first time I attempt it!

OMG, the chili is sooooo good! I have a crappy little kitchen in my apartment and I kept knocking stuff over (especially the lime juice), but I finally managed to get it all put together. I just tasted the first bite with the corn bread and it’s amazing!

Thanks so much for the recipe! (Also, this recipe totally gave me an excuse to buy a lime squisher, which I don’t know how I lived without!)

THIS IS THE BEST CHILI. i’m so excited. i love that it’s not all chunky and vegetabley (not that i don’t like vegetables, just not in my chili as much). also if anyone is wondering, i substituted gluten free AP flour for the corn muffins and it turned out great. thank you so much for this recipe! yay!

Just made this, after doing a google search for vegetarian chili recipes – it is sensationally good!
Thank you very much indeed for the recipe, which is going to be used frequently in this household.
I’m now going to start studying the rest of your recipes…

Due to some recently diagnosed coronary artery disease, I am trying to change my eating habits. While I may never be a hard core, pure vegetarian, I do plan to cut out red meats and fried foods. In my quest for healthier eating I stumbled across this web site a few days ago. We live in Louisiana where food is rich and hearty. I Had never eaten a vegetarian dish in my 50+ years. We do cook chili a lot in the winter though I was never a fan of chili with beans. Even with these preconceived negative thoughts (vegetarian & beans), I decided to try this recipe. I must say I was shocked at how good it was. My wife, daughter and I all loved it.

First, thank you for being awesome. Although I have never commented, I have made most of your recipes and have used many as a base for my own variations. Veganomicon was my first vegan “bible” and you are an inspiration. My healthy, happy, vegan five year old is seriously obsessed with beet burgers and he will eat just about anything with a little nut cheese to dip it in. Second, quick question on this chili before I just try doing it and end up disappointed…can I just use dry beans? Seems like it would work fine since it is cooking so long. I would just add more liquid, correct? I usually have some cooked beans in the freezer but I am down to black eyed peas and a handful of garbanzos. I have some dry black and beans, but I don’t have time to soak and cook them first. Again, thank you for being so freaking fabulous.

VIDEOS!!! I haven’t visited the site in far too long. I’ve watched three already. LOVE! You are funny and charming and now I want faux clam chowder and pumpkin ice cream and chili. And orzilla (I read that one first).

I love your recipes! Sometimes we cook exclusively from them during the week. I am making this recipe now and can’t wait to try it as your mac n’cheese with roasted brussels sprouts last night was fabulous. I have a question about the amount of water needed. I am making the stovetop version and the directions read “Add the 4 cups water” but I’m noticing it’s really liquidy and not cooking properly. When I went to the top the ingredients read “2 cups water (plus extra as needed).” Thanks for sharing your culinary talents with us!

This is beautiful. Thank you for all the shockingly delicious vegan recipes—I’m just starting out as a vegan. I recently found out I’m allergic to eggs, dairy, and gluten; having cut those out, I’m suddenly finding meat to be repulsive! So here I am… 🙂
Can I just substitute gluten-free flour in the muffins, or is the flour ratio different? I’ve thought about getting some “cup for cup” GF flour for simplicity. I figure corn muffins are a good quickbread option for GF baking, because half of the flour equation is corn anyhow.

Oh gurl this is good! Okay, true talk, I’ve been slow to incorporate lentils in my cooking. Ever since trying one of your recipes out of Veganomicon with some split red lentils I was disappointed in the texture. Fuzzy? Fear not, I blame the type of lentils/brand. I trust you implicitly. Which is why I decided to try this recipe today. And boy is it tasty, with just the right amount of chewiness to it. And the flavor profile, as always, is spot on. Thanks for all your awesome creations. I might be trying the beet burgers this weekend. For now, it’s time for seconds!

The flavor is what got me on this recipe. Its the perfect combination of spices. The cornbread and chili mixture was meaty, sweet, and delicious. Do you recommend a good wine/beer with this?
Thanks again for posting such great recipes.

This is the BEST chili recipe I’ve ever tried. (Sorry, Mom, your recipe’s been replaced.)

The reason I am so obsessed with you(r recipe) is because you ‘get’ daily life. You know the average person ain’t got time for super fanciful chili powders and all that jazz. You perfectly allow people to go the extra mile with fresh tomatoes or home(pre)cooked beans, but you know why canned goods got popular!

The corn muffins were fantastic against all odds! I totally forgot to put the 1 c cornmeal, and they were still AMAZING. I did not like the flavor of the chili however to be quite honest. It wasn’t necessarily bland but it wasn’t exciting. The flavors did not come together for me. This is one of two recipes on your website that I have not enjoyed though, so I will still keep trying everything on your site!

There it is suggested that “If you’d like to turn this into a berry corn muffin, feel free to add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest along with the wet ingredients, then fold in 1 cup of berries.”

The scent combines spicy notes like nutmeg and vanilla
with a subtle musky tone. 2006) to Ahlers AG, a fashion brand holding company.
He passed away in 1948 although his company continued and in 1953,
with the requirement for SS uniforms gone, the business turned its direction to making suits.

I have this chili simmering right now; so far it smells and tastes great, so I know it will be even better tonight and tomorrow. I substituted a can of white beans for the red kidneys and added a few splashes of vegan worcestershire sauce. I had the sad realization that my cornmeal had gotten buggy, so I substituted an additional cup of flour for the cornmeal and the muffins are still cakey and delicious. Thanks for always having recipes that stand up to those of us who tend to read the ingredients list as we go 😀

Wow! Looks yummy, but the title put me RIGHT off! I almost didn’t even look at it. I mean, when a vegan sees the word “meat” prominently listed in the recipe title, we run a mile. I’d suggest changing the title. I will probably try the recipe, though.

P.S. I’m from Canada, and chili DEFINITELY has beans! It wouldn’t be chili without the beans. Duh!

I loved this recipe so much I went out and purchased your book “ISA DOES IT”
Then I watched your video….funny and informative.
My grandson is highly allergic to gluten and casein. I’m certain I can find some recipes in your book and on your website that he will love.

I saw you on Victory Garden. Decided to give your vegan chili a try. Made it this evening, I enjoyed making this dish! No meat to be careful of cross contamination. I referred to your video many times throughout my cooking endeavor, I like you. Your funny, knowledgable, and hot. Keep’em going. Gonzales, LA PBS viewer.

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This is one of my favorite chili recipes of all time, meaty, meatless or otherwise. I’ve been eating it all week on top of a salad of iceberg lettuce, cilantro and red onions, and it is AWESOME. No dressing required, as the chili “juices” more than suffice. I highly recommend. If only I had a ripe avocado on hand …

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OMG!!! What took me so long. 3 years after the initial posted. This is absolutely wonderful. Even my non vegan husband LOVED it. Thank you ISA. Inspired me to finally order you cookbook. YAY!! Can’t wait. next I’m gonna cook my way thru you entire book. Why not?

I just purchased your book with this recipe and made it for my super bowl guy friends and they loved it. I host a blog called The Cutting Edge Veg and was wondering if I could feature a picture and a link to your recipe within the blog post. The post is about vegan food that is carnivore approved and will include posts from other bloggers as well. I love your website and just adore your restaurant in Omaha!